Some days before the Iranian Intelligence officials compelled Shaikh Mohammad Mowahhid Fadheli, imam and khateeb of Sunnis in “Taibad” city, to resign from his assigned activities. As the result of this illegal order of the Intelligence Ministry clashes took place between Sunni community and the security forces; on late Friday 21-01-2011 the inhabitants of Taibad came out and chanted slogans against this injusticefull order of the Intelligence Ministry.
Sunnionline: According to received credible reports from “Taibad” Shaikh Fadheli has been ordered to quit his rank of khitabah, which caused clashes between Sunni citizens and forces in Taibad city; how do you analyze this incident?
Shaikh Abdul Hameed: I also heard this sad news, it caused me unpleasant when I heard it, as well as my other Muslim brothers and sisters are also much sad over this cheerless news, certainly such actions from the Iranian government are totally against the slogan of the founder of the Revolution that “Shias and Sunnis are brothers and they have equal rights!”
But here for a long time some hidden hands are practicing the policies which are very far away from the statement of the founder of the Revolution, at the result many differences and enmities are taking place day by day, such elements think that they are the pure patriotic, but in fact it is totally leading towards destroying the peace of the country.
Surely the Sunni community has been cooperating with the regime since the first day of getting independence, despite facing various kind of discriminative stances and behaviors the Sunni community of Iran kept silent to maintain national peace and fraternity; they were enjoying a limited religious freedom but it seems some elements can not bear it as they have been interfering a lot in the religious affairs of the Sunnis, highlighting religious differences, insulting the sacred personalities of Sunnis, abusing of Sunnis’ Islamic scholars, destroying some religious places of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal Jama’ah, confiscating of the eminent Sunni scholars’ passports and ban on their abroad travels are absolutely discriminative acts.
I clearly say if much more would be added to this, as the Sunni community is not permitted to select the best scholar amongst them by themselves to lead prayers so it means the plan is very dangerous and it may cause a very horrible problem for the Iranian government. I believe there is no advantage to interfere in the affairs of mosques and selection of imams and khateebs, neither for the government nor for the both parts of public Sunnis and Shias. Yes! They have right what is practiced in mosques and madariss.
Sunnionline: How is the personality of Shaikh Fadheli according you?
Shaikh Abdul Hameed: What I know about Shaikh Fadheli is that he is a trustable Islamic scholar, he has command on both the religious and academic educations, he is a moderate person, he is not against the regime of Iran, neither he betrays his religion nor with the country, he is not dangerous for Iran, yes I agree there is no one cleaned hundred percent from each kinds of mistakes, but I do not know what encouraged the Intelligence officials to practice such actions against him.
Sunnionline: What is the status of Sunni imams and khateebs who lead Juma’h prayers?
Shaikh Abdul Hameed: Sunni scholars are not supported by the government, there is no comparison of them with Shia scholars, the way Shia scholars have been enjoying many facilities in Iran it is very far that the tenth part of such rewards to be given to Sunni scholars, we always condemn such injustice acts, the programs and ceremonies are conducted by Sunnis are not released on the national state-run television, except some parts of the programs which benefits them, they show it in short. Since Iran got independence after the Revolution none of the Sunnis of Khorasan provinces is given a single opportunity to work in the government as a governor of any province, city or district, even as head of any official department, therefore their hearts are broken, just one thing had made them happy, that is their religious freedom, if they lose it too so it would be very difficult for the government to control the reactions which will upraise after these discriminative acts, thus I hope the related authorities would take care of the condition of the Sunni community and try to make them satisfied in “Taibad” as well as in other parts of the country.
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